Mistaken Identity
by softballer2118
Summary: Takes place in BoL. Percy finally returns but is severely injured and falls into a comma. When true love's kiss is the only thing to save him, who will it be? Annabeth or Rachel that has the power to save him?


Katie's POV

I walked up to the hearth that stood in the middle of the courtyard that sat between the cabins. It seemed nothing was the same anymore; everything seemed so different because of the oncoming war. It saddened me more than anything that it seemed normal to me now to see sorrow filled faces. The hearth glowed faintly, and I smiled at Hestia who sat across the fire from me. "Hello Katie." It was odd to think of the little nine year old girl sitting across from me was a goddess, but yet I felt like she was important and would be in the near future.

"Hello my lady," I answered politely. No one else sat at the hearth, and it seemed we were the only ones in the vicinity for I could hear the distant voice but none that were close by. Staring into the fire I absently fingered the clay beads on the necklace that lay on the skin of my neck. It seemed that all hope was lost, with Percy dead, and Annabeth…As for Annabeth she was so grief-stricken that she snapped at almost anyone even Grover who didn't seem to be handling the situation any better. My mind drifted to the events of last night when Aphrodite came to bear a message from Hephaestus that Percy Jackson was dead. For days Annabeth had been holding on to the small hope that he had survived the eruption and that he would show up at any moment. We all knew how unlikely it was to happen. When Aphrodite's message had rung clear through the dining pavilion I heard a muffled cry as a lone figure from the Athena table jumped and ran towards the cabins not looking back. I had been in such a shock that I didn't register who it had been until I let the knowledge fully sink in. _Percy Jackson, Son of the Sea God, was dead._

Everyone had known that Percy and Annabeth were basically in love with each other, but each was too embarrassed to tell the other. I felt a pang of sadness for Annabeth, knowing that she had never told Percy how she really felt about him. I laughed out loud, not even a daughter of Aphrodite and yet here I was thinking about love lives. Hestia smiled at me, and for some reason I knew that she had seen everything I had been thinking. "Yes, it is a sad thing for Annabeth, but I wouldn't give up hope just yet." Before I could ask her what she meant she seemed to fold in on herself before disappearing completely. I heard the sound of someone approaching, but before I could turn and find out who it was a figure sat down beside me and put her head in her hands.

"The shroud burning is tonight, and I don't think I will be able to go Katie," Annabeth's voice cracked and strained, evidence that she had been crying for quite some time. I instinctively put my arm around her shoulders. Over the years we had grown close, not as close as her and Grover or Percy, but if we needed someone to talk to we were there for each other. After a few minutes of silence Annabeth straightened up, salty streaks lined her face, "I just wish- I wish I could have had the time to tell him in the mountain how feel. I should have done more than just-," she froze and looked at me in horror. It seemed like what she was about to say, what had happened between herself and Percy, hadn't been said aloud. Then she broke down into tears. I knew right then that Percy's death was killing her, she never cried. And when I mean never, I mean maybe by herself but never in front of anyone. Even me. Her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke next, "I should have done more than just kiss him and run away." My heart tightened, why would the gods let him live and then let him be struck down and leave a girl behind that was heartbroken.

"You know he would want you to move on, and find someone else. He would want you to be the one to light his shroud, no one else would be fit to do that more than you, not even Grover. We have all lost someone in this war, and we will lose much more but I know that we can make it through. I know that because of demi-gods like Percy, who sacrifice themselves to save their friends and loved ones," my words seem to be getting through to her, for the tears stopped streaming down her face and she slowly regained control of her feelings.

"We should go, the ceremony is going to start soon and I need to go and check on the shroud," Annabeth said as she stood and started to walk away. She turned abruptly and gave me a small smile, "Thanks Katie. And you're right about what you said, we are going to win this war even if it is the last thing that I ever do." With that she jogged off in the direction of the Athena cabin. I hadn't realized how late it had gotten, for the sun had just begun to set above the shoreline on the beach. There I could see Juniper and Grover as they walked hand in hand with their feet in the water. Juniper had her arm around Grover's waist, as if supporting him as the satyr slowly continued on to where his friend's burial shroud would be burned. I sighed and hefted myself up from the benches around the hearth, stretching muscles that had tightened up from sitting for such a long time. Slowly I followed the flow of campers that wound their way towards the arena where the ceremony was to be held. When I got there I saw Chiron standing in the front with Annabeth who looked horrible, but a new determination was in her eyes. The look held ambition to kill everything and anything that got in her way of accomplishing her goal, no regard to her life at all. It scared me, but soon Chiron's voice forced my eyes to snap to focus on him.

"We have lost a brave and courageous demi-god. There is no one better in my opinion, to light his shroud and speak for him, than his best friend," Chiron looked at Annabeth with sorrow filled eyes that had grown even more worrisome and lost since the announcement of Percy's death.

Annabeth shuffled forward and three of her cabin mates marched up and latched a light green and blue shroud onto a pole. The shroud glimmered in the light of the fires so that it looked like the delicate waves were lapping on the shore of an unknown beach painted on it. In the middle was a large trident that seemed to radiate power like Poseidon's, even though it was just an image, and beside it the picture of an owl hanging its head in mourning. The crowd of demi-god's all stared at the beauty of the shroud, and noted that Athena's cabin had claimed Percy as one of their heroes.

Annabeth spoke and all eyes turned towards her, "I could sit here and tell you a list of things about Percy, but I believe that his adventures say more than what he was like. His first year here he prevented a civil war between the gods, and throughout our journey he always was more worried about his friends rather than himself. His second year he didn't hesitate in his choice to sneak out of camp with me and rescue our friend Grover, and the way he always included his half-brother even though most of us would rather have seen Tyson thrown out of the camp, Percy protected him. Or the fact that a year ago he came and took the weight of the world for me. Again I could sit and talk to you about all of his journeys or I could tell you the story of how the great hero Percy Jackson died to save-"she stopped as her voice broke and tears slipped out of the corners of her eyes, "-Percy Jackson died to save me. To find Deadalus we had to get Hephaestus to help us, but he needed just a simple favor from us. He needed us to go and check out his forge in the volcano, for something had taken shop in there and he wanted to know who had taken over his forge. Percy and I found the place full of telekhines and we were trapped on both sides as they tried to break down the doors that we had trapped them behind. I had my cap from my mother, and he had a sword. No matter how much I tried to convince him, he wouldn't let me stay and fight with him. He made me go and leave him under the safety of invisibility so that I could live on while he fought to the death against hundreds of enemies. As soon as I had reached the door to the labyrinth and had shut it behind me a huge explosion came from the other side and the last thing I heard was Percy scream."

She looked around at the astonished faces of the campers. None of them, except for me and a couple of the counselors had known what had truly happened in the mountain. Annabeth was full on crying now, but she did nothing to hide her tears, instead she almost wore them proudly, proud that she had known him the best. "May all of the gods watch over him even in death," she said and lit the shroud. It went up in flames quickly, and everyone was hit with the warming smell of the ocean. All eyes were transfixed mournfully on the shroud that was now on fire and burning its way just below the bottom of the trident. With a sudden flash of green light the flames were extinguished, and everyone turned away as brightness lit up next to the shroud. It died down seconds later and at that moment the expression our eyes dropped out of our heads could have been taking literally.

Standing before us was a man that was tall and tan with black hair, and sea green eyes that were eerily similar to someone I had known. Realization crept across the campers as one by one everyone knelt at the foot of the man. His eyes were bloodshot and there were what I could have taken for tear stains on his cheeks. His clothes were disheveled, and his hair stuck up even more than usual. That's when my mind finally wrapped around the fact that not only was Poseidon standing before us; he was distraught enough to come to camp. His eyes searched the crowd until they landed on Annabeth, his eyes softened slightly, and no one could have told that he was looking at the daughter of his rival Athena.

"Annabeth, I need your help please," I couldn't believe it, but here was Poseidon begging for a heroes help. Annabeth stunned, frozen in place. "Please tell me he is here and that this shroud is meant as an offering. Please, tell me that he isn't dead!"

No one dared move, but Annabeth seemed to be the only one who had any senses at the moment. Tears still streamed down her thin face, but she tried to keep her voice strong, "We got a message from Aphrodite last night, saying that Percy was-"she stumbled through her sentence, "-saying that he was dead."

"NO!" Poseidon's plea shook the ground as he fell to his knees grasping his trident tightly in one hand. His body shook with ragged breaths, his face hidden from the crowd of campers who had tears on their faces, showing their sorrow for their lost friend. The silence was racked by cries from the campers and the ground shaking made it seem as though a wind was rustling through the arena. I felt my own tears hit the ground. "I must return to Olympus at once and consult Hades." He stood and we all turned away as he revealed his true form and vanished.

I heard the snap of a twig and froze, and then another. Someone or something was walking towards us. "Help-"a voice moaned and all eyes turned to see someone who we had thought to be dead. Percy Jackson stood with burns covering most of his arms and an arrow stuck just below his left rib cage.

Annabeth cried out and ran faster than I could have thought possible. Before she got there he collapsed to the ground, and she slid to her knees beside him. "Percy, oh my gods." If someone had thought she had been crying hard earlier, they wouldn't believe how many tears were pouring out of her eyes now. She grasped his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Annabeth's POV

I couldn't believe the fact that Percy was here, but I knew that if something wasn't done he would be lost to me like I had thought he had been for the past few days. I didn't care who was staring I grabbed his hand in mine. A smile formed on his cracked and bleeding lips, "Wise-girl," he whispered, barely audible. I broke the shaft of the arrow and pulled it out, and he started to close his eyes.

"No Percy! Percy! Please gods no," I yelled.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, "Annabeth, remember the prophecy."

_Flashback:_

_ I couldn't believe what I had heard. Tears flowed down my face as the Oracle's words set in fully. Percy was going to die, but true loves kiss would be the only thing that could save him. My heart fluttered uselessly playing at the fact that maybe I would be the one in the prophecy. But my common sense kicked in,_ What would he want with a girl like me who always reminded him of a "friend" and nothing more?

Tears fell fast down my face at the painful memory. I knew it was Rachel, remembering the way he smiled at her and the way he always seemed to light up in her presence. I had noticed all of these changes in his personality because I knew him better than anyone does or would. She liked him because he was the "Chosen One" and the child of one of the Big-Three. My heart broke completely in half knowing that I could do nothing to save him, but the person I hated the most could. His eyes searched mine as I just stared down at him, feeling as if it would be the last time I would ever see those bright, green eyes ever again.

I felt someone drop down beside me, not even bothering looking I heard Rachel's voice. It sounded like nails on a chalk board to me, "Oh my god, the prophecy is coming true!" She looked at me, and I saw a hint of triumph at the fact that she knew how much what she was about to do would tear me apart inside. I let go of Percy's hand in defeat as Rachel slowly leaned down until her lips touched his. I turned away, not wanting to look at the scene before me. When I looked back I saw Rachel looking at me with a smirk on her face and Percy still unmoving on the ground. I couldn't believe it, but it hadn't worked. For some reason the prophecy was wrong, for Percy's wounds still bled and his breathing was still ragged as ever.

Rachel finally noticed that it hadn't worked, "What? But the prophecy, I remember it was like Snow White, only true love's kiss can save him. So why didn't it work, he's obviously in love with me." How dare she smile right now, when the man I love was dying! I punched her straight in the face, not caring about who was watching.

"How dare you smile when the man I lo-," I caught myself, "- when my best friend is dying?" She didn't respond. She just stared at me, holding her face.

"I do not believe the prophecy is wrong, Rachel, but that you are not the one that is going to save him," Chiron said and Rachel looked as though she was going to strangle the centaur. The group that had formed around us shifted uneasily, but I didn't care one bit about what was going on. My eyes were focused Percy, his hand found mine and he intertwined our fingers for the second time.

His eyes searched mine, and mine pleaded with his to hang in there, "It was- never-her- always-," he whispered between coughs, before succumbing to unconscious. All sounds died against my ears, all of my sense were blurred to everything except for the boy that was dying in my arms. My tears flowed down my face and fell on his chest that was barely moving, and I sobbed in front of everyone that stood around me. I felt a familiar hand on my shoulder, and let it haul me onto his back while Chiron took Percy in his arms.

I didn't notice we were at the Big House until Chiron laid Percy on a bed in one of the rooms on the third floor and I got down and sat in the chair beside him. "Annabeth you must help me with his wounds." I nodded, and set to work bandaging all his wound was extensive, tears silently falling from my eyes with every moment. We worked for hours without saying a word. No one interrupted us; I didn't even hear anything from downstairs. Finally Percy was fully bandaged, but he was still in the grasp of unconsciousness.

The sun had risen and was high in the sky when I sulked outside, only leaving because Chiron forced me to get some rest. On the way to my cabin campers gave me looks of sorrow, but I didn't care. I didn't think about anything except for the boy with sea green eyes, the boy who was lying in the Big House, the boy I had fallen completely and totally in love with. The way he always would run his hand through his messed up hair and rub the back of his neck when he got nervous, the way his smile made my stomach feel as if it were trying to twist into a ball, the way his eyes held mine and a whole conversation could pass between us without a word spoken, the way he had become my best friend and taken the weight of the world for me, the way he had sacrificed everything for me and his friends. All of that ran through my mind as I thought of losing him. Coping without him hadn't worked; the last few days had made it obvious that I couldn't live without him. Whether he was more than my friend or just my friend, I didn't care.

When I walked in my cabin, it was deserted. As soon as I hit my bunk I broke down into tears for the third time that day and fell asleep thinking about Percy.

Weeks passed by and Percy's state hadn't changed; neither had the fact that I was by his side most of the time. Every day I sat there hoping that he would wake up and see me and how I felt about him, and everyday he laid there unmoving. Today wasn't any different. I finished all of my classes and headed straight into the Big House to check on Percy. He looked the same as ever as I took my usual space beside him on the chair. I sat staring at him for hours, until I heard the door to the room open and my favorite red head walk in. Not.

Rachel sauntered in as if I wasn't sitting right there and sat beside Percy on the bed, taking his hand in hers. I wanted to puke, "What are you doing her Rachel?"

She didn't even look at me, "I am checking on my boyfriend." My heart dropped into my stomach, but I held my composure.

"You haven't checked on your 'boyfriend' since he got here, so why now?" my voice was flat and held no emotion. I had learned over the years how to hide emotions, and I used it now more so than ever.

"I was busy with other things, but I'm here now. And I've figured out why it didn't work. He must be asleep for the kiss to work, that has to be it," she leaned forward and pushed her lips against his. I felt tears prick my eyes as I looked away, my gut clenching. Once I had controlled my emotions I saw Percy still immobile and Rachel smiling like she was the gods given gift. "Now he will be as good as ever in a few hours." With that she hopped up and strode out of the room, closing the door behind her. Not bothering to stay and found out if it would actually work.

My mind couldn't comprehend how someone could be so nonchalant about this situation. For the thousandth time I stared at Percy, my heart aching to think that he might actually wake up because of her. But he stayed motionless. I sighed, and felt a part of myself saying _What if you're the one that can save him?_ No, that was ridiculous we were just friends in his eyes. _What about his last words, "It was never her…" _Maybe he thought he was talking to Rachel instead of me. _It couldn't hurt to try, no one would know…_

She gave in to that part of her brain for the first time and slowly got up from her chair to sit on the side of his bed. She took his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers, before slowly leaning towards his face. Her heart beat frantically as she closed her eyes just as her lips met his. An electric charge went through her and seemed to flow into him through their connected mouths. She pulled back and looked at him. His wounds were gone, all of the bruises had faded, and his eyes snapped open for the first time in almost a month.

His eyes locked onto mine and he smiled. "I thought I would never see you again," he said. I smiled as tears of utter joy slid down my face. I had done it! I had been the one to save him! It had been me all along! Hadn't I?

Before I could say anything in response Rachel burst in, "Percy I saved you!" I closed my eyes as I was thrown back in the chair as she tackled him.

When she finally let him out of the massive hug, his confusion was obvious. His eyes met mine, but I looked away not wanting to say anything, "What-what are you talking about?"

"The prophecy said that true loves kiss would save you and I kissed you! Isn't that so romantic?" Rachel blabbered, while I wiped my eyes clear of the previous tears.

Percy looked baffled, but then he smiled at her. The smile that I had always wanted him to give me, "Thanks Rachel." He hugged her and I couldn't take it anymore, I got up and walked quickly out of the room and ran to my cabin wanting to be alone.

News spread quickly of Percy's miraculous recovery and Rachel made sure to tell everyone that she was the one that saved him. I told no one that I had kissed him, I just let myself believe that maybe it had meant the one that was in love with Percy not the other way around. With each day that I saw Rachel all over Percy my heart broke in half a little more than it had been before. I avoided him, never letting there be a time for us to talk and always staying busy with every activity.

With each passing day I crawled more and more into the shell that I had made. Cursing Aphrodite silently but also thanking her for letting me experience what true love feels like. Now I stood on Half-Blood hill with my back to the camp, not really looking at anything, just thinking about how much my life sucked. A single tear rolled down my face as I heard footsteps approaching from the woods on my right. I tensed hoping that it was a monster or anyone but Rachel and Percy. Seemingly my luck seemed to turn for it was the one person who I could tell everything too, the one person who I hadn't seen in months.

Thalia's POV

I saw Annabeth's silhouette under my tree in the distance. I smiled. It had felt like forever since I had seen my friend, and I was excited to finally see her. As I approached from the woods I saw that she was crying, and anger welled up inside me. Whoever had hurt her was going to pay, big time. When I was only a few feet away she turned suddenly tense, but then relaxed when she saw it was me. I hugged her tight as I felt her start to cry even harder into my shoulder. Okay, something was definitely wrong. Annabeth never cried like this, not in front of anyone, even me. When she finally pulled herself together we went and sat down and leaned against my old tree.

"What happened? Whoever is responsible for this I will personally kick their ass," I said putting an arm around her shoulders. She laughed, but I could tell her heart wasn't in it.

"If only it were that easy Thals," she said wiping her eyes. "Percy-," her voice faltered at his name, "–Percy, Grover, Tyson, and I went on a quest in the labyrinth looking for Deadalus so that he can close the opening that led into camp. We were on our way to Hephaestus's workshop when Grover smelled Pan. He and Tyson went off, leaving Percy and me alone to find Hephaestus. When we found him, he said we would help if we went to his forge in the volcano to see who was using it that he couldn't catch there. We went and found telekhines everywhere and we were surrounded and the door was blocked by them. He told me to put my cap on and leave him, he would hold them off. And I-," she seemed to be thinking whether or not she was going to tell, but she did in the end, "-and I kissed him before I left. As soon as I left I heard his screams and then a huge explosion. I found my way back to camp and told them what had happened. Days passed and we didn't see him and then at his shroud burning he turns up on the brink of death. And Rachel kissed him, because of the prophecy," I nodded, understanding starting to form in my mind, for I knew the prophecy, ", but he just went unconscious and didn't wake up for weeks. I sat by him through all of it, and then, in comes Rachel for the first time since he had appeared in camp, to check on him. She kisses him and leaves, and then-," she choked back a sob.

I knew what was coming next, or I thought I did. Boy was I wrong, "And then she left like nothing had ever happened. I didn't know what to do. I was so far beyond hope that I decided I might as well try- and-and he woke up when I kissed him," she was sobbing again, but I could still understand her through the gasps and sniffles. "But he didn't know I had kissed him because Rachel came back in and claimed she had done it. I couldn't take it anymore, so I left and now they have been inseparable. And I just wish they would both leave so then I wouldn't have to see them anymore and have my heart ripped to shreds." My mouth was open in disbelief, that stupid idiot boy! How retarded could he be if he thought that bimbo actually cared about him. And how much that every moment with her causes his best friend to want to rip her heart out at the sight of them.

I had to do something, that boy was going to learn his mistake the hard way!

Percy's POV

I lay in my bunk, staring at the bunk on top of me, and thinking about the girl whose every detail held my brain's attention every second of the day. The way she walked, talked, smiled, played with her hair; every little detail that I loved. How could it have been that she had not been the one to save me? How had it been Rachel to be the one to wake me up instead of her? _Maybe she was the one that woke you up. She was in the room, HOLDING YOUR HAND AND SITTING BESIDE YOU ON THE BED when you woke up! _ But that was just because she was worried about me as a friend, and if it was her than why hadn't she said anything? _Because Rachel has been all over you since the moment you woke up._ Yeah, but I don't like her like that. Maybe after years if I forced myself there could be something more than just friendship between us, but…

My eyes were falling closed as the door of my cabin was kicked in. I immediately uncapped Riptide which had been under my pillow, and sat up. Before I could move any farther than that a figure disarmed me and smacked me straight across the face. I reeled from the hit, and looked at who my attacker was. "Thalia?"

"Yes you dumbass! How dare you do that to her when she saved you!" she yelled, punching me this time.

"What are you talking about?" I said holding my face.

"You know damned well what I am talking about! How could you actually think it was that slut?" she yelled and reared back to hit me again, but someone else grabbed her arm before it hit its intended target. I squinted in the darkness and saw that it was a girl, my pace quickened and my stomach clenched as my nose inhaled her familiar scent.

"Thalia stop just let it go. He doesn't know," Annabeth's sweet voice filled the room, but it was filled with such sorrow that I wanted to stand up and hold her in my arms and never let her go. I knew that she would never let me, much less want me too, but it didn't hurt to hope.

Thalia released her clenched fist before turning on her heel and heading for the door, but before she left she turned towards me, "You deserve ten times worse than that for what you have done to her." She walked out leaving Annabeth and me alone in my cabin.

I could see tears in her eyes a, not yet falling but threatening to overflow. What scared me the most was what was missing from her eyes, the attitude, now they just looked tired and dead inside. "What's wrong? What was she talking about?" She shook her head and started to walk away, but I grabbed her arm.

She froze, "The prophecy was right, true loves kiss woke the hero, but he wasn't in love with her but she was in love with him. She always told herself that she would never be one of those stupid girls who fell in love with a guy, but she did. She fell for him harder every day that she was with him, but she never told him. Then one day he forced her to leave so he could sacrifice himself for her. She kissed him thinking it would be the last time. No one knew where he was, everyone thinking he was dead, but she never gave up hope. Then when a goddess came delivering the message that he was dead, she finally broke. She was dead inside, and she prayed to the gods every night to bring him back so she could see him one last time. She had finally started accepting the fact that her prayers would go unanswered, but then the night of his burial he shows up on death's doorstep. She watched as he slipped into a coma. She sat by his bed every day, hoping that the love of her life would wake up and admit his feelings. She hoped that he would see how much that the girl that he had fallen for was only with him because of what he was instead of who he was. But then one day that girl came in and kissed him, even though she hadn't visited him since he had slipped into the coma. She left right after, not caring enough to stay. He didn't wake. She knew that he couldn't stay like this forever, so she had to try. She kissed him and it was the best moment of her life. He woke up and she thought that maybe he felt the same way, but then the girl came flying in and claimed she had saved him. She was pushed aside and forgotten. She kept to herself for weeks, dying slowly inside more and more, but she never said anything. She honored her prayers, she had seen him once again, but it wasn't as she had wanted. She tried to move on, but there was no moving on from him. Every day she wakes up from a dream where he had finally seen that she had never left him, but then reality hit her and she would crack a little more inside. She wished that she had never met him. She regrets falling for him every day. It was the biggest mistake of my life." Her tone was cold and I winced. She pulled away from my hand and walked away, leaving me speechless.

She couldn't be talking about herself, could she? _She said, "It was the biggest mistake of MY life._ My heart sped up thinking that Annabeth had just told me a story about a girl who could only be her. Right? I didn't care. I ran after her, but after searching everywhere I couldn't find her. I didn't think that my cabin was so far away from the beach that I now stood on, but now it seemed like an eternity.

I lay in my bunk for the second time that night and thought about the same girl who's on my mind more than anything else. Why would she tell me that and then walk away?

Waking up the next morning I was exhausted. I had believed myself in thinking that what had happened last night was a dream until I looked in the mirror where I saw my busted lip from Thalia's punch. I sighed and dressed in my camp T-shirt and a pair of jeans like normal. Stepping outside I looked across to where the Athena cabin stood and locked eyes with Annabeth. Her hair was shining in the sunlight, and her eyes glistened grey. I wanted to talk to her, but before I could move anywhere someone slammed into me with a hug. I knew it was Rachel before I looked. My eyes still held Annabeth's, hurt flashed across her eyes before it was gone so fast I thought I had imagined it. She turned away and walked towards the dining pavilion. I turned to Rachel, hugging her back slightly.

"Hey Percy," she said smiling and kissed me quickly before taking my hand and dragging me away towards the pavilion. For a mortal Rachel had a strong grip. I learned as I tried to pry my hand from hers, but she just held on until I finally gave up and let her lead. When we got there campers were still filing in, and my attempt to look for Annabeth in the crowd was futile because of the amount of campers that were walking back and forth. Thanks to Rachel being a mortal, she can sit wherever she wants and that just so happens to be beside me. The whole time she kept talking about how we were the cutest couple that she had ever seen. I didn't bother to correct her in the fact that we weren't a couple, because I was mad that Annabeth would just sit by if she had been the one the prophecy mentioned.

Speaking of which I couldn't find her anywhere in the pavilion when breakfast was in full swing. A few minutes past and she still didn't show up. Worried I stood and told Rachel I would be back later. Her smile faltered, but she recovered quickly and nodded. I searched everywhere, but I couldn't find her. Finally I went to the beach and just sat, hoping that she hadn't left without me being able to tell her how I feel. I put my head in my hands, wanting to forget everything that had happened and rewind back to the volcano so I could tell her how I feel.

Annabeth's POV

I walked out of my cabin and of course my eyes found Percy's. I let myself get lost in those sea green eyes, if not for a second be able to relish that little gesture of being able to stare into those eyes. He started to make his way towards me, but before he could go a few steps Rachel tackled him with a hug, breaking our contact. I turned my back and jogged off, not wanting to see anything more.

Thalia's POV

For some reason I woke just as the sun had began to rise. Yawning I walked over to the door of the cabin when my bare foot hit paper. I looked down and saw a letter folded up so that my name was facing up. I opened it and started reading:

Dear Thalia,

By the time you are reading this I will most likely be gone. You have always been there for me, ever since you and Luke found me when I was a kid. You are my best friend and always will be forever. Last night when I ran from the room I went to the beach. I sat there thinking about everything that had happened the last few weeks and when I got offered this opportunity I had to take it. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you were there when I needed someone to talk to about all of my crazy relationship issues. I may not be able to see you for awhile, but we both have eternity so it doesn't matter. I just wanted to thank you for everything that you have ever done for me. And I'm sorry about a lot of things, but if I tried to name them all then this letter would be longer than able to read. I'm sorry about dropping all of my problems on you; I know that most have been hard to bear. Hopefully one day I will be able to return all of the favors that I owe you. You have always been like a sister to me, and I will never be able to thank you enough for that.

Your Friend,

Annabeth Chase

I flew out the door as soon as my mind absorbed the last sentence. She couldn't be gone, if so where had she gone?

Percy's POV

I hadn't slept a lick. How could Annabeth go and say all of that and then run out before we even had a chance to talk? I couldn't believe that I wasn't the only one with this hollow feeling in my chest. Why had I been so naïve to think that Rachel had been the one to wake me up? I couldn't help but be furious with myself for not noticing early. I had put her through so much pain thinking that it was what she wanted.

I heard the rustling of paper as something was slid under my door. I sat up as I heard someone lean against the outside of the door, "I love you Seaweed Brain." My heart stopped at Annabeth's words. I sprang out of bed and made to open the door when I noticed the letter on the floor. I decided to read before talking with her:

Dear Percy,

I know things have been strained between us lately, and that is all my fault. I cut our friendship off in hopes that it would help ease the feelings I had grown for you, but to no avail. I know that you heard me say this last night, but I think that it would be better if I actually told you. When you first showed up at camp I didn't know what to think. Soon we became friends and that bond grew stronger on our first quest together. I don't know what changed but that night on that train to St. Louis I didn't see you as my friend. With Grover asleep and your focus out the window I studied you. The way that your hair stuck up just the right way so that it was cute and your eyes that always seemed to leave me breathless. For awhile I was torn between you and Luke, but when he tricked me into taking the weight of the world off of him it changed. Actually when I think about it, nothing changed, I just understood that it was never him that it had always been you. While I held up the sky and thought that I couldn't take it any longer I saw your face and it helped me stay alive. I clung to the fact that you would come and save me against all of the odds set against you. When I was on the verge of giving up hope that you would find me you came. I still remember the look in your eyes as you ran over to where I was on the ground. I remember Artemis warning you that there was no way you could defeat the Titan, but you tried. I don't remember being afraid that much for anything until you were fighting him. When you took the weight of the world from Artemis I wanted nothing more than to take it away from you so that you wouldn't be in pain. Ever since that night on Mt. Tam something changed between us. I felt as if maybe we could be something more than friends, and that only strengthened when we set off into the labyrinth. When we stood in that volcano and you forced me to leave you; I wanted to tell you how I felt but I didn't. When I thought you were dead I felt dead inside. Nothing mattered to me, and I became the worst person to be around. I prayed to every god and goddess that if they gave you back to me I wouldn't care if we were just friends, as long as you were alive. Then you came back, bruised and broken, and the only thing I could think about was that my prayers had been answered. When you went into that coma I felt as if I had lost you again, that this time you were going to slip through my fingers again. I sat with you every day you were out cold, every day. Then Rachel comes in almost a month later and kisses you; so confident that she was your love. When nothing happened after she left I thought that maybe I could save you this one time and repay you for every time you sacrificed yourself for me. I kissed you and it was the best moment of my life; total and utter bliss. When you woke up and looked at me I wanted to melt into you, but then Rachel threw me aside like a ragdoll and stole you out from under me. Seeing you two together ate at my heart, until I wanted to make you feel the same way, or at least try. I knew then that you could never feel the same way about me. The night in the Thalia's cabin I broke down for the first time, letting someone see through my outer shell. I'm sorry for running out, but now I'm glad I did or I wouldn't be writing this letter. My mom offered me to become the goddess of architecture and I am leaving this morning with her to Olympus. I don't think I can apologize enough for getting between you and Rachel. Now you will never have to see me again, for I must avoid you. My heart can't take seeing you every day, so I must say goodbye forever. Before I leave I wanted to tell you all of this and something else. Rachel only loves you for what you are; the Son of Poseidon, the "Chosen One". She doesn't know you like I do, most likely never will. I only say this for I won't have to face how angry you will be with me for saying that. I am truly sorry for everything that I have messed up, but I didn't want to leave without telling you that I , Annabeth Chase, had fallen in love with you since the day we met. Hope you and Rachel live the life I have always dreamed with you. Goodbye forever.

Love,

Annabeth Chase

My mind blanked. My heart stopped. I jumped and ran out of the door, clutching the note to my chest as if it were my lifeline. In the early morning light I saw a lone figure sitting under Thalia's tree with long hair and a girlish figure. I ran towards it until I could see that it was her sitting with tears streaking down her face. I didn't know what to do in this situation, I had always had trouble with comforting girls when they cry, but dammit I was going to think of something.

I came and sat beside her, she jumped and turned towards me mortified. Before she could say a word and before I would lose my courage I leaned in and kissed her. As soon as her lips touched mine I knew that it could never and has never been Rachel, it was always Annabeth.

Annabeth's POV

I let myself go one more time, giving in to the despair and heartache that had nested itself permanently in my chest. Silent tears flowed down my face as I pulled my legs up and crossed my arms so that they were resting on my knees, and leaned back against Thalia's tree. I didn't bother wiping my eyes, no point because no one was even up yet except for me. I couldn't believe everything that I had told Percy in my letter. I'm positive that I would never be able to do that in real life, but I would never get the chance for I knew that if I left I would never grace my eyes upon that green eyed boy I had fallen for.

I jumped when someone sat down beside me. I felt my mouth open slightly at the fact that Percy Jackson was sitting beside me after everything I said in that letter. My heart came into my throat as dread crept into my chest. I didn't know what to say, but before I could conceive to form words his lips pressed against mine and I didn't remember what I was thinking. All of my thoughts were pushed aside as I concentrated on the way his hands wrapped around my waist and mine were intertwined around his neck. The kiss was soft until I felt his hunger and desire as it became more pressured and his tongue played with my bottom lip, asking for access. I opened my mouth ever so slightly and he deepened the kiss before laying me back on the grass with him on top of me. In one swift motion he rolled us over so that I was lying on top of him. I smiled against his lips reveling in the utter and total bliss of the moment.

Everything was perfect. I should have known it would not last long. "Oh my god! Get off of my boyfriend you whore!" I felt someone shove me, and I know by that screeching who it was. She threw me off Percy where I tumbled a few feet before I was up on my feet fuming. "Percy I can't believe what a whore she is…" I couldn't stand it any longer I walked straight up to her and punched her square in the face hard enough to knock her back a few steps. She clutched at her nose, which was bleeding profusely, "I can't believe you just hit me you bitch!"


End file.
